DALLAS (AP) — Mikko Rantanen assisted on Wyatt Johnston’s tiebreaking power-play goal with 3:56 left before completing a third-period hat trick with an empty-netter as the Dallas Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in Game 7 on Saturday night to wrap up the first-round Western Conference playoff series.
Rantanen, who was in the playoffs with Avalanche the past seven seasons and part of their 2022 Stanley Cup title, had his second four-point period in the series. He is only the second player in NHL history to have four points in the third period of a Game 7.
The Stars move on to the second round to face top-seeded Winnipeg or St. Louis, who play their own Game 7 on Sunday night. The Jets would have home ice if they advance, while Dallas would start at home if facing the Blues.
Colorado had taken a 2-0 lead when Nathan MacKinnon made a short snap shot only 31 seconds into the third period. It was the first goal he has scored in five Game 7s, but all of those are losses.
Traded twice in a six-week period earlier this season, Rantanen scored five goals in the series against his former team.
Rantanen got Dallas’ first goal with 12:11 left on a shot from above the middle of circles. He tied the game at 2 with 6:14 left went he skated behind the net and took a wraparound shot that ricocheted off the skate of Avs defenceman Samuel Girard. Rantanen then sealed the win with an empty-netter with three seconds remaining.
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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Stephen Hawkins, The Associated Press
